One of the features of Vista that caught my eye fairly early on was the fact that you could install the operating system and run it, fully-featured, for 14 days -- with no license key. I've even recommended this to people elsewhere (those who have valid access to the installation media, mind you) as a way to test out whether or not a given edition of Vista is right for them. "Maybe Microsoft'll just make Vista into a free download," I joked.
My joke is reality. Looks like Microsoft is indeed going to do that with both Vista and Office 2007 -- make them available as trial downloads which will run for a certain length of time, and which can be converted into the full commercial versions via purchasing a license key. In a way, this isn't too surprising -- they've been doing this with their server products for a while now, so it's about time this would trickle down to the consumer level.
Vista isn't much good to anyone without a license key, so it's no real skin off Microsoft's nose to make an .ISO image of the Vista install disc available to anyone who needs it. Actually, you can run an out-of-activation copy of Vista in Safe Mode, but its functionality is so limited you might as well be running Windows 3.x. I'm wondering how many people are going to wind up doing exactly that so they can have a copy of Windows as opposed to none -- but, again, it's not like people are going to get anything that way that they might not already have.
The company plans to offer Windows and Office for sale on the Web using technology called digital locker, which can safely store the alphanumeric license "keys" that provide customers with rights to use its products, and resume interrupted downloads.
Not that most PC users are apt to try it. Mannion says downloading Vista and Office '07 will likely appeal primarily to what Microsoft's market researchers call "super-engaged" customers -- the 15% of PC users who think nothing of cracking open the computer case for an upgrade, trying new technology, and then blogging about it or telling friends. Those customers are "very evangelical," he adds.
(...I think he's talking about folks like you 'n me.)
And there's some details about that family-pack licensing deal that's been talked about before:
In addition, Microsoft will allow customers of its most expensive Windows Vista Ultimate product -- which costs $260 for an upgrade version -- buy two copies of Windows Vista Home Premium for other PCs in their house for about $50 each. Microsoft will offer the discount from Home Premium's regular upgrade price of $160 from Jan. 30 to June 30.
(Why only a limited-time offer, though? Possibly because Microsoft wants to use that as pressure to get people to dive for it quickly, and use that to gauge interest. But better for a limited time than not at all, right?)
Huh... Not sure I really wanna try this right now. I'd just as soon wait until I get me a new PC down the road and see what comes with it. *chuckles* As it is, I really prefer OpenOffice over the MS Office products I've used previously--both at work and at home.
You can install any version of Vista you want without a key. Just click "next" on the product key screen, and it will ask you what version you're authorized to use. It warns you that it needs to be activated within xx days. This is what I did on my media center machine for a few days, then activated it once I was fully satisfied. It was the full Vista experience, too. Not Windows 3.1 like at all :)